Many Sarasota performing arts venues have started or are about to start their 2026-27 seasons in September, which means we have multiple stage productions premiering this week, ranging from new works to old classics.
Downtown Sarasota's contemporary theater-focused Urbanite Theatre will kick off its Modern Work Festival, a two-week celebration of new works and female theater-makers. Sarasota Players, meanwhile, will go all the way back to Shakespeare era to present his pastoral comedy "As You Like It."
There will also be productions premiering at Florida Studio Theatre and Venice Theatre, while Wordier Than Thou and Fabulous Arts Foundation will present a book fair. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.
Van Wezel reveals star-packed lineup of nearly 60 shows
1. Modern Works Festival at Urbanite Theatre
Urbanite Theatre’s seventh annual Modern Works Festival, a two-week celebration of new works and female theatre-makers at the downtown Sarasota black-box theater, will kick off this week with headlining performance "Tea TIME" by Erika MacDonald, "a delightful blend of tea leaves, life lessons and a few f-bombs" running Sept. 17-20. Other festival events will include guest speaker Jacqueline Goldfinger and staged readings of the three finalists' plays. Sept. 17-27; Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St., Sarasota; single tickets and festival passes both available, including student tickets; 941-321-1397; urbanitetheatre.com
2. 'As You Like It' at The Sarasota Players
The Sarasota Players' 97th season will continue with one of the best-known names in theater, William Shakespeare, and his play "As You Like It." The pastoral comedy follows heroine Rosalind as she is banished from her uncle's court and, accompanied by her cousin Celia, escapes into the Forest of Arden while disguised as a young man and encounters many characters, including her love Orlando. The play has been adapted many times in several formats, including a film by frequent Shakespeare adapter Kenneth Branagh released in 2007. Sept. 16-27 (preview Sept. 16); The Crossings at Siesta Key, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $35, $15 students; 941-365-2494; theplayers.org
3. 'Four Old Broads' at Venice Theatre
Leslie Kimbell's comic mystery is described as "Columbo" meets "The Golden Girls," as four seniors dream of escaping their assisted living facility and evil Nurse Pat. The story also includes a nationwide drug ring, a senior beauty pageant and a retired Elvis impersonator who "can't help falling in love" with every woman in the building. Sept. 18-Oct. 11; Raymond Center at Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice; $40, $30 college students/current educators, $19 youth (child-high school); 941-488-1115; venicetheatre.org
4. 'Pinocchio' at Florida Studio Theatre
Florida Studio Theatre will kick off its 2026-27 Children’s Theatre series with Greg Banks' "Pinocchio," based on Carlo Collodi's book about a puppet who yearns to be a real boy that has been adapted several other times, most famously as a 1940 Disney film. The series also includes "Deck the Halls," "Imagination Rocks!" and "The Monster Who Got a Second Chance and Other Winning Plays." 10 a.m. and noon Sept. 19 and Oct. 3, 10 a.m. Sept. 27, Oct. 11 and 18; Keating Theatre at Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota; $12 single tickets, $25 Children's Theatre subscription; 941-366-9000; floridastudiotheatre.org
5. Queerlastic Book Fair at Fabulous Arts Foundation
The Largo-based Wordier Than Thou hosts these monthly book fairs ("Scholastic Book Fairs, but making it queer!") at varying locations, and will partner with Sarasota LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Fabulous Arts Foundation for this event. Registered vendors include The Chandelier Queer, author Kim Cressell, Literary Labyrinth, Pages & Perks, El Pueblo Unido — Tampa Bay and This Bookstore Kills Fascists. Noon-4 p.m. Sept. 19; Fabulous Arts Foundation, 925 N. Lime Ave., Sarasota; $5 suggested donation attendees, $25 vendor fees; facebook.com/wordierthanthou
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top Sarasota area art events this week include new works, old classics
